Photovoltaic panels 

Photovoltaic panels generate electricity, which can be used by a wide variety of appliances in your home. PV panels are based on the semiconductors used in the electronics industry. During installation of a PV system, there is little disruption to your home - all the components are on your roof or in your loft, apart from a meter and switch which can be installed by your main fuse box.

Installing your own solar photovoltaic panels means that you can generate your own electricity from the free and inexhaustible energy from the sun. A photovoltaic system never needs refueling, emits no pollution, and can be expected to operate for over 30 years while requiring minimal maintenance.

Installing Photovoltiac Panels

• Your own clean power source that helps reduce global warming
• Reduces your electricity bills, since daylight is free
• Increases the value of your property
• Extremely low maintenance, with a long functional lifetime of 30 years or more
• Silent in operation

Photovoltaic panels use cells to convert solar radiation into electricity. The PV cell consists of one or two layers of a semi conducting material, usually silicon. When light shines on the cell it creates an electric field across the layers, causing electricity to flow. The greater the intensity of the light, the greater the flow of electricity.

Producing electricity from the sun using photovoltaic (PV) systems has become a major industry worldwide. But designing, installing and maintaining such systems requires knowledge and training, and there have been few easily accessible, comprehensive guides to the subject.

Now, with Photovoltaic : Design and Installation Manual, a world-class solar energy training  and education provider—Solar Energy International (SEI)—has made available the critical information to successfully design, install and maintain PV systems.

The book contains an overview of photovoltaic electricity and a detailed description of PV system components, including PV modules, batteries, controllers and inverters. It also includes chapters on sizing photovoltaic systems, analyzing sites and installing PV systems, as well as detailed appendices on PV system maintenance, troubleshooting and solar insolation data for over 300 sites around the world. Used worldwide as the textbook in SEI’s PV Design & Installation workshops, topics covered include:

• The basics of solar electricity
• PV applications and system components
• Solar site analysis and mounting
• Stand-alone and PV/generator hybrid system sizing
• Utility-interactive PV systems
• Component specification, system costs and economics
• Case studies and safety issues

Photovoltaics guarantees that those wanting to learn the skills of tapping the sun’s energy can do so with confidence.